The seventh annual Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards will once again shine a spotlight on our county’s apprentices - and the businesses and organisations, training providers and schools that support their journey - recognising the huge contribution they make to our county’s economy at a special awards ceremony on Thursday 18 May 2023 at Williams F1 Conference Centre.
We're delighted to introduce Oxford Professional Education as sponsor of the Higher/Degree Apprentice of the Year Award.
Here, Paul Jones, Apprenticeships Lead at Oxford Professional Education, explains why they have chosen to sponsor this Award and what apprenticeships mean to them.
Why are you supporting the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards and why you have chosen to sponsor your particular category?
At Oxford Professional Education we passionately believe in the ability of apprenticeships to transform lives for learners, employers and the wider economy.
Our higher-level skills programmes are specifically designed to improve the productivity and economic output of Oxfordshire businesses and closely aligns with the key objectives of OxLEP Skills, namely:
- Supporting employers to access the right talent and skills to grow and stay in Oxfordshire
- Inspiring and preparing young people for the fast-changing world of work
- Enabling local people to better access job opportunities arising from the impacts of large-scale infrastructure development
- Working collaboratively with partners to support and deliver local skills initiatives
What are you looking for in the winner of your category?
We are looking for someone who has not necessarily excelled throughout their journey, but someone who has overcome adversity and for whom the apprenticeship programme really made a life-enhancing difference.
It would be great if this were to be accompanied by evidence of employer support for the apprentice during the programme and how this has made a tangible difference to the business following successful completion.
What would you say to anyone thinking about entering or nominating?
Go for it! This is an opportunity to celebrate success and raise the profile of your organisation. Too often as a sector we hide our light under a bushel and do not promote or celebrate our successes – this is an opportunity to change that and recognise the hard work and support that employers put in place to help their apprentices to succeed.
Tell us about your organisation’s experience of Apprenticeships
Oxford Professional Education Group have been delivering professional qualifications for over twenty years and have been delivering high quality Apprenticeships for nearly 3 years.
Working closely with employers to develop bespoke programmes which best suit and benefit businesses, we are able to provide flexible, and practical training across all business and learning sectors.
Apprenticeship training is specifically tailored to ensure that skills are developed in-line with employer needs and requirements, giving apprentices a real advantage in the workplace, and in turn providing them with better long-term prospects and excellent progression opportunities.
About the Awards
The awards will be open for entries and nominations until midnight on the evening of Friday 17 February 2023. Finalists will be announced during Oxfordshire Apprenticeships Hour (hashtag #OAHour) on Twitter @OxonApprentice from 13:00 on Thursday 20 April 2023. Winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony on Thursday 18 May 2023.
Visit our Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2023 page
If you would like the opportunity to support the Awards, please get in touch.
Join us for Oxfordshire Apprenticeships Hour (#OAHour) on Twitter @OxonApprentice from 13:00 every Thursday for latest on the Awards and join in the conversation using the hashtag #OAAwards2023.
Pictured: Abbie Milne, Marketing Executive Apprentice with Mersey Maritime and Oxford Professional Educational Group.
